day after Nick’s death, he could see she was going stir crazy. She’d helped her friend, Michelle with laundry detail until there wasn’t a pair of dirty underwear left in the compound. He’d suggested she help her friend, Bobbie Roberts organize a group of teenagers who’d wanted some space of their own. With some shuffling around, the teen group soon settled on a rooftop away from the grown-ups, with empty rooftop space on either side. A pirate flag soon hung down from the store façade and cheering wafted across the open mall as the fabric of the skull and crossbones cracked in the wind.
She was now talking to Bobbie and the hard glances she shot his way warned him he wasn’t going to like whatever plan she’d hatched to get out of the enclosed space of the shopping mall.
“Bobbie and I think the camp needs more tents.” Emily stood in front of him, hands on hips as if waiting for his argument. At that moment, he’d gotten a clearer picture of her married past. If she were spoiling for a fight, he wasn’t going to give it to her. He’d seen her in action. The woman could take care of herself and cover his back too.
“I know there are several sporting goods places in town and nearby, but I’m sure they’ve been picked clean.”
The older woman nodded. “Emily and I were thinking it’s time to start clearing some houses and getting some supplies. Lots of families in this community must have camped. We could find camping stoves, lanterns, maybe even those little pop-up tent things.”
“From what Nick told me...” Emily’s jaw clenched with a teeth-grinding sound as she paused at the kid’s name. “A lot of people owned guns in this town. We might as well collect what we can.”
Bobbie spoke up again. “The patrols are already out and about, but I know Joe and Bob waited around to see if you wanted them to go with you. Josh and Suz volunteered too. The Logans said they would be ready when you are.”
“We should help them,” he said.
“I’ll go get my stuff,” Emily said, giving him a quick hug.
He watched her long strides carry her to the breakaway stairs.
“That woman needs space. She might have married money, but she didn’t come from it, if you know what I mean.”
Seth gave the older woman his attention at her unexpected words. “I thought it was one of those ‘combining dynasties’ things.”
She laughed, throwing her head back. “Oh no, Emily was doing secretary work at her dad’s law office. Carl spotted her, decided it was time to make the next generation of Grays, and married her.”
“So he fell in love, just like that? Not that I can’t see the attraction, because I certainly can.”
Bobbie snorted. “No love match there. Oh, maybe she felt something for him at first. Taken in with the things money can buy. But Carl was only concerned in how Emily looked and dressed and acted. He needed the right someone to play the part of Carl’s wife. Unfortunately, she found out the only person Carl loved was Carl.”
“How did you get to know Emily?”
“I lived near the Grays. I met Emily at a party and I could see right away that she needed a friend, someone who wasn’t after her connections. I watched as Emily started to die inside when Carl started stepping out. I haven’t seen her as happy as she’s been killing skinbags. She finally found something she can do, all on her own. So don’t take that away from her. She’s no ‘princess in a tower’. Go out there, watch her back, but don’t let her know you are watching her back.”
“I will,” Seth replied softly as Emily ran up to them.
She slid to a stop with her backpack strapped on, crossbow in hand. Giving him a grin and a quick kiss, her smile grew when he pulled her in close. “Suz and Josh are ready at the exit. They found a big truck for us to go out in.”
Emily gave Bobbie a hug and they strode over to the exit at the cargo containers. Josh sat at the wheel of a super-sized black truck, with
She was now talking to Bobbie and the hard glances she shot his way warned him he wasn’t going to like whatever plan she’d hatched to get out of the enclosed space of the shopping mall.
“Bobbie and I think the camp needs more tents.” Emily stood in front of him, hands on hips as if waiting for his argument. At that moment, he’d gotten a clearer picture of her married past. If she were spoiling for a fight, he wasn’t going to give it to her. He’d seen her in action. The woman could take care of herself and cover his back too.
“I know there are several sporting goods places in town and nearby, but I’m sure they’ve been picked clean.”
The older woman nodded. “Emily and I were thinking it’s time to start clearing some houses and getting some supplies. Lots of families in this community must have camped. We could find camping stoves, lanterns, maybe even those little pop-up tent things.”
“From what Nick told me...” Emily’s jaw clenched with a teeth-grinding sound as she paused at the kid’s name. “A lot of people owned guns in this town. We might as well collect what we can.”
Bobbie spoke up again. “The patrols are already out and about, but I know Joe and Bob waited around to see if you wanted them to go with you. Josh and Suz volunteered too. The Logans said they would be ready when you are.”
“We should help them,” he said.
“I’ll go get my stuff,” Emily said, giving him a quick hug.
He watched her long strides carry her to the breakaway stairs.
“That woman needs space. She might have married money, but she didn’t come from it, if you know what I mean.”
Seth gave the older woman his attention at her unexpected words. “I thought it was one of those ‘combining dynasties’ things.”
She laughed, throwing her head back. “Oh no, Emily was doing secretary work at her dad’s law office. Carl spotted her, decided it was time to make the next generation of Grays, and married her.”
“So he fell in love, just like that? Not that I can’t see the attraction, because I certainly can.”
Bobbie snorted. “No love match there. Oh, maybe she felt something for him at first. Taken in with the things money can buy. But Carl was only concerned in how Emily looked and dressed and acted. He needed the right someone to play the part of Carl’s wife. Unfortunately, she found out the only person Carl loved was Carl.”
“How did you get to know Emily?”
“I lived near the Grays. I met Emily at a party and I could see right away that she needed a friend, someone who wasn’t after her connections. I watched as Emily started to die inside when Carl started stepping out. I haven’t seen her as happy as she’s been killing skinbags. She finally found something she can do, all on her own. So don’t take that away from her. She’s no ‘princess in a tower’. Go out there, watch her back, but don’t let her know you are watching her back.”
“I will,” Seth replied softly as Emily ran up to them.
She slid to a stop with her backpack strapped on, crossbow in hand. Giving him a grin and a quick kiss, her smile grew when he pulled her in close. “Suz and Josh are ready at the exit. They found a big truck for us to go out in.”
Emily gave Bobbie a hug and they strode over to the exit at the cargo containers. Josh sat at the wheel of a super-sized black truck, with
Similar Books
